The present invention is generally directed to a fiber optic cable connector assembly and more particularly to fiber optic cable connectors which, when mated, form an assembly which accurately aligns and spaces the terminal ends of one or more fiber optic pairs to couple the optical fibers of the cables together for efficient light transfer.
The virtues and advantages of fiber optics in today's technology are well known and therefore need not be alluded to herein. With the ever increasing use of fiber optics, the need for efficient and readily usable and serviceable fiber optic connector assemblies has arisen.
Fiber optic connector assemblies for optically coupling the terminal ends of fiber optic cable pairs together must properly align and closely space the terminal ends of the optical fiber pairs to achieve efficient, low loss, light transfer between the cables. Moreover, while the terminal ends are spaced closely apart, they must not be allowed to touch. Any touching of the fiber ends could result in scratching of the finely polished terminal end surfaces and consequent decrease in light transfer efficiency. Hence, the terminal ends of fiber optic cables must be aligned and spaced to very exact tolerances, and even more so, when the cables are of the single fiber variety.
Whenever it is required that connector components be fabricated to closely held tolerances, manufacturing costs rise making the connectors exorbitantly expensive. Such has been the case with prior art connectors.
As with any type of connector interconnection, field service may become necessary. When field service is required, it is advantageous, for obvious reasons, if the interconnection can be easily disassembled without destroying any of the connector component parts or damaging the component parts to the extent that they cannot be re-used. Fiber optic connectors have generally included terminating pins constructed from rigid material which receive the optic fibers and support them in the connector. When service is required, it is usually necessary to remove the terminal pins. Unfortunately, the fiber optic connectors which have come heretofore have included mechanisms for accurately positioning the terminating pins within the connectors which impede the extraction of the terminating pins. Hence, in many cases, damage to the pins or other connector components result during servicing.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide improved connectors for a fiber optic connector assembly.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a fiber optic connector which includes improved optical fiber terminal end alignment and spacing means to achieve efficient light transfer.